Liverpool return to Istanbul for Super Cup against Chelsea

Lampard says Blues need to ‘move on’ from Hazard exit

ISTANBUL, Aug 13, (Agencies): Liverpool return to the scene of their most dramatic European triumph when they face Chelsea in Istanbul for the Super Cup on Wednesday, the first major men’s European final to be refereed by a woman.

For any Liverpool fan, Istanbul brings back memories of the thrilling comeback from 3-0 down to win the Champions League final against AC Milan in 2005. The Super Cup is little more than a ceremonial opener for the new European season, but a win could give Champions League winners Liverpool and already struggling Europa League winners Chelsea some valuable early-season momentum.

For Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool, it’s a chance to continue a strong start to the season after their 4-1 thrashing of Norwich on the opening day of the Premier League on Friday. New manager Frank Lampard and Chelsea must bounce back from a 4-0 loss to Manchester United.

Liverpool are unbeaten against English teams in Europe over six games stretching back to 2009, when they lost a Champions League quarter-final to Chelsea.

Fresh off refereeing the Women’s World Cup final, France’s Stéphanie Frappart will be in the spotlight when she controls Wednesday’s

Klopp

game.

Frappart is no stranger to men’s games after making her debut in the French league in April. She was calm under pressure when the United States beat The Netherlands in July’s Women’s World Cup final, using the video assistant referee system to award the penalty for the US to take the lead.

“Stéphanie has proved over a number of years that she is one of the best female referees, not just in Europe but across the world,” UEFA refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti said this month. “She has the ability to officiate on the biggest stage.” Frappart is not quite the first woman to referee European men’s games – Swiss referee Nicole Petignat handled three

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“I don’t really know what I was expecting, to be honest. I think I did okay,” he told a news conference.

But the first serve was far from what Murray and the crowd – particularly the fan waving the Scotland flag – wanted.

A two time winner of the tournament, Murray double-faulted and Frenchman Gasquet, who returned himself in May from groin problems, was quickly 2-0 up.

Murray then seemed to find himself. The Briton, moving better, won three consecutive games, including a break of serve, to go ahead 3-2.

But Gasquet, 33, won the next three games to move ahead 5-3 and into position to take the opener.

Murray played much better in the second set and had a break point to get back on serve at 2-2. But Gasquet never let go of his early break and eventually went up 4-2.

A focused Nick Kyrgios later defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 7-6, 6-4 in their first-round duel under the lights.

The unpredictable Australian bowed for the crowd after an impressive backhand stab volley gave him a 4-2 lead in the second set but he was otherwise business-like in the win.

Kyrgios, who won the Citi Open last week, said he was ready to build Radu Albot, of Moldova, reacts to winning his match against Marin Cilic, of Croatia, during first round play at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament on Aug 12 in Mason, Ohio. (AP)

on that success after he was eliminated in the first round of the Rogers Cup on Tuesday following an argument with the chair umpire.

Earlier, Marin Cilic became the first seed to fall when he was eliminated by Radu Albot of Moldova 6-4, 7-6(6), while Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic upset Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime 6-3, 6-3.

American Sam Querrey and Japan’s Yodhihito Nishioka were also winners, Querrey outlasting France’s Pierre-Hughues Herbert 7-6(2), 7-6(1) and Nishioka defeated Australian Jordan Thompson 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

World number two Rafa Nadal, the second seed, withdrew overnight, citing

fatigue after winning his fifth Rogers Cup title on Sunday.

Maria Sharapova overpowered Alison Riske 6-3, 7-6(4) at the Cincinnati Masters on Monday to set up a tantalising second-round battle with world number two Ash Barty, who defeated the Russian at this year’s Australian Open. Sharapova struggled at times with her accuracy but unleashed some massive serves and played stout defence at key moments on her return to the tournament after a five year absence.

Fellow tournament wild card Riske looked poised to send the match to a third set when she was serving on 5-3 and 15-0 in the second set but Sharapova upped her game to force a tiebreaker.

Former world number one and fivetime Grand Slam champion Sharapova prevailed on her fourth match point to set up the meeting with top seeded Barty. Barty defeated Sharapova in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January and both will be looking to

sharpen their games ahead of the US Open later this month.

Another former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, fell to rising Ukrainian teenager Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-4 under the lights to close out the day’s action.

The unseeded Dane had her opportunities but converted just four of her 15 break point chances against Yastremska, who was making her Cincinnati debut.

Johanna Konta suffered her second straight first-round exit at a tournament as she fell 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to qualifier Rebecca Peterson in a marathon first-round match.

The 14th-seeded Konta’s biggest weakness was her second serve as the Swede won 62% of those points against the error-prone Briton.

Svetlana Kuznetsova upset 11th seeded Anastasija Sevastova 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-4 in their first-round battle to set up a second round clash with Yastremska.

Richard Gasquet, of France, serves to Andy Murray, of Great Britain, during first round play at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament

on Aug 12 in Mason, Ohio. (AP)